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A new interpretation of an already familiar motif, this time powered by a Spring Drive calibre
Grand Seiko watches often pay tribute to the splendour of nature surrounding the studios where they are made. Mount Iwate. Lake Suwa. Mishaka Pond. These landmarks have all inspired various Grand Seiko creations over the years. One recent highlight was the SLGH005 “White Birch”, which won the Men’s Watch prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Powered by Grand Seiko’s next-generation hi-beat mechanical movement, the timepiece featured a patterned dial that referenced the slender white birch trees of Japan’s Hiraniwa Plateau. This year, the brand has followed up with the SLGA009 “White Birch”, a new watch that reinterprets the same motif for a new look—while being driven by Grand Seiko’s signature Spring Drive movement to boot.
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The new SLGA009 “White Birch” is a fairly minimal time-and-date watch cased in stainless steel like its predecessor. This gives it ample space to showcase the textured white dial, which anchors the watch visually. Against this canvas, various other minutiae are on display. Note the blued seconds hand, for instance, and how it glides perfectly smoothly around the dial thanks to the watch’s Caliber 9RA2 Spring Drive movement.